Card for card file



July 23, 1957 F. L wAssELL l 2,800,130

CARD FOR CARD FILE Filed July 106, 1953 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 :1. E JNVENTOR FRANK l.. Wnsssu.-

HTTORNEYS lull/'023, 1957 F. L. wAssELl.

CARD FOR CARD FILE 5 Sheets-Sheet 3 Filed July 16, 1953 I1 5 .ml E. WMM .n m Tl 1. W n .mll H Nn i n J type of index card.

United States Patent O ice CARD FOR CARD FILE Frank Lloyd Wassell, Westport, Conn., assignor to; Georgene Parkin Wassell, Westport, Conn. i

Application July 16,` 1953, Serial No. 368,299

l 4 Claims. (Cl. 129-16.7)

The present invention relates to cards for use in card files, and, more particularly, to novel and improved cards and indexing means.

One of the many types of cards in use today for comu mercial card tiles comprises a card which is transversely folded to form a double card having a front panel and a back panel. Cards of this type often have folding ridges spaced apart from the top fold of the card and extending parallel thereto. This folding ridge permits the surface of the card that is between the folding ridge and the top of the card to be inclined to the plane of the principal portion of the card, thereby providing a surface upon which various forms of visible indications may be placed. Various forms of tabs and other indicating means such as disclosed in the Patent No. 2,518,749 issued to B.

tion and rear portion of the double card through spacedl apart slots in and in line with the fold.

One important drawback with cards of this type `lies in the adjustment of identifying or indicating means.

In order to vary the indicators, the card must be cornpletely removed from the le andopened out so Vthat i the position of the indicating means may be changed. This tends to reduce materially the effectiveness of'this Another disadvantage lies Yin the fact that the small springs, currently used to, separate the front and rear panels of the double-paneled cards so as to inclinefthe surface between the fold and the folding ridge thereof, do not perform their function evenly along the entire length of the fold line. Thus when a large numberV of cards are stored in a card filing box, they tend to atten out so that the indications on the indicating strip are no longer visible. v

It is an object of the present invention, accordingly, to provide novel and improved double-paneled cards which are not subject 'to the aforementioned disadvantages.

Another object of the invention isto provide novel and improved spacing means for use between the front and rear panels of a double-paneled card in order to increase the effectiveness of the visible index strip between the folding ridge in the front panel and the top of the card.

A further object of the invention is to provide novel and improved progressive indicator means for use with double cards of the above-mentioned type.

These and other objects of the invention will .become apparent by reference to the following detailed description of the invention taken in conjunction with the accompanying figures of thedrawing, in which:

Fig. 1 is a perspective view of a `double-paneled card, in accordance with the invention; Y w

Fig. `2 is a` side view, partly in longitudinal-section, of a conventional card tile drawer containing double cards embodying the present invention;

v2,800,130 Patented July 23, 1957 Fig. 3 s a side view, similar to that of Fig. 2, showing how a greater number of cards embodying the invention may be disposed within the file drawer;

Fig. 4 is a rear view of a double-paneled index card embodying one yform of the invention;

Fig.A 5 is an end view, taken in the direction of the arrow 5 in Fig. 4;

Fig. 6 is a view in Vertical section of the card of Fig. 4, taken along the line 6-6 and looking in the direction of the arrows, showing one form of a separating spring member, in accordance with the invention;

Fig. 7 is a similar View to that of Fig. 6, taken in vertical section and showing another form of the separating spring member, in accordance with the invention;

Fig. 8 is a front view of another embodiment of the invention, showing adjustable visible indicating means;

Fig. 9 is an end view looking in the direction of the arrow 9, of the double-paneled card of Fig. 8;

Fig. l0 is a broken away portion of a rear View of the index card of Fig. 8;

Fig. l1 is still another View of the card of Fig. 8 showing how the progressive visible indexing means may be readily adjusted, in accordance with the invention;

Fig. 12 is a front view of a double-paneled index card showinga still further embodiment of the invention;

Fig. 13 is an end view looking in the direction of the arrow 13 of the double-paneled card of Fig. 12;

Fig. 14 is a rear view of the card of Fig. 12;

Fig. l5 is a front elevation ofthe indexing means used in the embodiment of the invention disclosed in Fig. 12; and

Fig. 16 is a side view, in vertical section, of the indicator shown in Fig. 15.

In Fig. 1, there is shown a typical double-paneled card 20'folded on the line 21 to form a front panel 22 and a rear panel 23. The front panel 22Amay have a visible indexing strip 24 formed between the'fold line 21 and a folding ridge 25. The rear panel 23 may be of shorter ,height than the front panel 22 so that pressure on the fold line 21 will push down the rear panel 23 thereby inclining the visible indexing strip 24 to render any writing or other identifying marks, etc. present on the visible indexing strip 24 more visible.

In Figs. 2 and 3, the .double-paneled cards 20 are shown stacked in -a conventional card tiling drawer 26. As can be readily seen from these gures, the visible indexing strips 24 are visible, in accordance with the invention, both when the cards are loosely packed (Fig. 2`) and when they are tightly packed (Fig. 3).

In Fig. 4, a slidable separating spring 30 is shown in position in the rear panel 23 of the card 20. The rear panel 23 may have a plurality of spaced-apart slits 31 running transversely to the direction of the fold line 21 and extending downwardly therefrom. The slidable separating spring 30 may be an elongated resilient strip composed, for example, of either thin sheet metal or plastic.

Thespring `member 30 may have a transverse bend running the length thereof, which may take the form of an angular bend 30a, as shown'in greater detail in Fig. 6, or a transverse curve, as shown by the spring member 30b in Fig. 7.

As a result of the slits 31 being placed in the rear panel 23, a channel 32 may be formed in the rear panel 23 through which the slidable separating spring member 30 may be pushed.

In order to facilitate the movement of the member 30 through the channel 32, the member 30 may have a pointed end 33. As can be seen more clearly in Figs. 6 and 7, the open `faces ofthe angle member 30a and the curved member 30h are preferably turned rearwardly to- Ward the plane of the rear panel 23.

Thus there is provided a separation member for use with double-paneled cards which produces a uniform separation between the front panel 22 and the rear panel 23, thereby providing a uniform inclination of the visible indexingV strip 24, along the length of thefold line,`1je sulting in greater visibility. V 4 A j v,

In Figs.` 8, 9, and l1 there is `,shown a double-paneled card provided with a plurality vof apertures 4) in the visible indexing strip 37. The apertures 40'may be representative of some desired information, for example, in Fig. 8,l the apertures 40 represent the months ofthe year. A

YVisible indications are produced through the use of a progressive indicating strip 41, which may be a plain elongated flexible strip of a color different than the color of the visible indexing strip 37. p

As shown in Fig. 10 the indicating strip 41 may be passedthrough a plurality of spaced-apart slits 36 extending transversely from the fold line 34. A large interval, suchV as 42,V may be left between two of the adjoining slits 36. The location of this large interval may be noted on the visible indexing strip 37 by a marker, such as the arrow 43 in Fig. 8.

The rear panel 44 and the visible indexing strip 37 of the front panel 35 may be separated by a conventional exible separator 45, such as best seen in Fig. 9. It is to be noted thatthev separating'member 45 may be adapted to extend through slits (notshown), in and in line with the fold 34. The protruding portion 45 of the separating member 45 may also function as an indicating means, in that the separator means 45 may be appropriately positioned somewhere along the length of the fold 34 to convey some predetermined information.

The embodiment of the invention disclosed in Figs. 8, 9 and 10 provides a novel and improved method for varying a'visible indicating signal on a double-paneled folded card without going inside of the fold. As shown in Fig. 1l, the card may be grasped with the thumb of one hand engaging the front panel 35 and the index finger of the same hand engaging the progressive indicating strip 41 at a position within the large interval 42, see Fig. 10, designated by the arrow 43. The indicating strip 41 may be moved forward and backward merely byrmoving the index linger of the hand grasping the card.

The embodiment of Figs. 12 through 16, inclusive, uses a progressive indicator meansj 50 which may be adapted to slide within a channel formed by the spaced-apart slits 52 extending transversely from the fold line 46. `As shown on the Vfront view of Fig. l2, a progressive indicator means 50 may function in av manner similar to the indicator means 41 in'Fig. 8 to produce visible colored indications, which appear through the apertures 53 of the visible indexing strip 49 between the fold line 46 and the folding ridge 54.

' Further, in a manner similar to the embodiment shown in Figs. 4, 5,-6, and 7, the indicator means 50 may have a transverse bend running the length thereof which may take the form of the angle of Fig. 6 or the curve of Fig. 7. Thus the progressive indicating means 50 may also serve the function of separating the visible indexing strip 49 from the rear panel 48 of the double-paneled card. In order to prevent undesired movement of the progressive indicating means 50 relative to the apertures of the indexing strip 49-when the card has been filed, the progressive indicating means 50 may have alocking lug or tip 50' at the end thereof adjacent to the apertures 40 of the indexing strip 49. The lockinglug 50 may be adapted to protrude through one of a plurality of slots 51, in and in line with the fold 46 and in corresponding relation with one of the apertures 53.

Thus there Y has been provided novel and improved Y double-paneled cards adaptable for use with novel and improved progressive indicating meansV and separating means, which substantially improve the eectiveness of this type of card in commercial card filing systems.

It will be understood that the above disclosed embodiments are meant to be merely exemplary and that they are susceptible of modification and variation within the spirit and scope of the invention. For example, instead of utilizing specially folded and slotted cards, conventional ledger sheets may be folded and slotted, in accordance with the invention. Accordingly, the invention is not deemed to be limited except by the appended claims. Y

I claim: I

l. In combination, a card folded to form a front panel and a rear panel, said front panel having a folding ridge parallel to the fold line between said front and rear panels, spaced-apart apertures spaced along and adjacent to said fold line on said front panel, said rear panel having Vspaced-apart slits positioned opposite that portion of said front panel betweenl said fold line and said folding ridge and transversely disposedA withV relation to said foldline for facilitating the formation of ra channel thereinand. a separable elongated flexible member for separating said front and rear panels and adapted to be passed through said channel formed by said slits and positioned so as to be visible through any of said apertures to which it is adjacent.V

2. In combination, a card folded to form a front paneland a rear panel, said front panel having a folding'ridge parallel to the fold line between said front and rear panels, and spaced-apart apertures spaced along and adjacent to said fold line on said front panel, said rear panel Vhaving spaced-apart slits positioned opposite that portion of said front panel between said fold line and said folding ridge and transversely disposed with relation to 'said fold line for facilitating the formation of a channel therein adjacent said apertures, and a separable elongated exible separating member transversely bent relative to the longitudinal'extent thereof and adapted to be passed through said channel formed through said slits Vline with'said fold line, spaced-apart apertures spaced along and adjacent to said fold lineand in corresponding relation with said spaced-apart slits, said rear panel having'a plurality `of spaced-apart transverse slits extending from said fold line, and Van elongated exible member adapted to be passed through a channel formed through said transverse slits and positioned so as to be visible through said aperatures to which said elongated member is positioned and a locking lug appended to said elongated member at the end thereof which is adapted to be passed adjacent to said apertures, said locking lug Vbeing adapted toprojectv through one of said spacedapart-slits in said fold line.

4. In Vthe combination described in claim 3, said elongated flexible member having a transverse bend running the length thereof. Y

Y. `Refer-,encres Cited in the file of this patent i i UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,048,577 VPardoe Deo. 31, 1912 1,560,058 Jamieson Nov. 3, 1925 2,284,586 McDermott May 26, 1942 Y 2,445,671V Johnson A July 20, 1948 2,518,749 Brunhart Aug. 15, 1950 f FOREIGN PATENTS 299,629 Great Britain Nov. 1, 192s 

